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Saturday, September 18, 2010

Amazon.com actually is listing it as 'in stock'.Amazon.ca still doesn't do this; and is asking people whether they want to cancel the order.I am disappointed that this should be happening, but the book will, I hope stand or fall on its merits, and not be overly affected by distribution problems.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Last year I waited for four hours in line for Toronto International Film Festival tickets to Don Hahn's WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY. The only reason I stuck it out that long was because of that film. The festival booth was inconveniently located, poorly run, and very slow.This year, the TIFF allegedly had online and telephone ordering.Neither system works.I couldn't have stood in line, not even for a few minutes, this past week even if I had wanted to; there were school meetings and preparation for the new school year to attend and attend to.So now, it seems that the TIFF have taken the sales for ILLUSIONIST 'Off sale'. I don't know if that means it sold out, or if they can't make their Byzantine and very stupidly designed ordering system work. So the hell with it, and with them. I will see the ILLUSIONIST either on a studio screener, or in a theatrical release. And I'm really quite serious about never bothering with TIFF again.

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Hello all,Well, I have been spending so much time on facebook that I really am not 'here' much any more...but I have had an interesting summer, and so here I am again. I apologize for the long absence. Maybe someone still reads this, maybe not.

At any rate, I spent two weeks in Taiwan at a university, helping judge a number of scholarship applications; and this was such a pleasant experience for both parties (other than the climate, which was hellaciously hot) that I will be invited back again next year, so they tell me.

And my new book is published. There are already copies being received in Britain and Asia; LaSalle University in Singapore is the first animation program to adopt it as a required textbook. Thank you!

My friend Elliot Cowan made a small commercial for me; we got the artwork and the film done in precisely 2 days or less and it perhaps shows, but it is something. Elliot updates his SANDWICHBAG blog far more often than I update mine; and his emailed 'discussion' with a monumentally rude and untalented 'artist' is well worth a read, particularly when you see how Elliot saves his denunciation for the last retort. I just hope he blocked the man after sending it.

Sheridan starts again on Tuesday and though my classes aren't beginning til Wednesday, I'll be there to hand out copies of ANIMATED PERFORMANCE to four Sheridan students who contritubed artwork to the book. Thank you all!

It's a handsome volume. Also a handfull; it weighs nearly two pounds.But it will make an impression, especially if you drop it on your foot.

So what's to tell?

I draw cartoons and write. I'm considered good at the former, am accused of being reasonably decent at the latter. I enjoy learning new and peculiar things and have developed a penchant to share this information with total strangers.
I've worked in feature, television, commercial animation; illustrated and written books; and draw caricatures for amusement and occasional publication.